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The Value of a Reliable POS

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  • #552731
    EricTheCarGuy 1EricTheCarGuy
    Keymaster

      I’ve gone by this philosophy for years and it’s served me pretty well. What do you think?

    Viewing 15 replies - 16 through 30 (of 32 total)
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    • #553134
      Andrea Orsini-BoyerAndrea Orsini-Boyer
      Participant

        My car is 25 years old, and i only wish i had bought it when it was 18, i would have had a few more years of good times. As it stands, it needs oil seals, shocks, transmission shifter cable, and tires. When i got it, though, it didnt need anything at all.
        I’m in an odd place between “Reliable POS” and just.. that old car i treat like it’s a new car lol.. but right now, each panel has it’s defect, so i guess im past the “new car” phase, where (when i bought it) it still had some perfect panels.. But, i’ve noticed, my first car had only ONE perfect panel, and it got hit 3 times on that fender alone… so, obviously, this car got a nasty scratch and a small ding on it’s perfect door… Funny how that works.

        anyway, here it is:

        #553190
        Michele PensottiMichele Pensotti
        Participant

          What can I say?

          I completely, utterly , positively agree with your philosophy here Eric! :cheer:

          I am a very very perfectionist person, and all my life (since I was a little kid) I spent time trying to make working things perfect, and ending in breaking or ruining them.

          This thaught me a lesson, an hard one; never never never buy a new “thing”, because you’ll find some defect in it too, and you’ll never be able to fix it, and this will utterly frustrate you.

          So, I have never owned a new car, all my cars were used ones, and I never ever changed my idea, which is the same as yours Eric; if the car already has some imperfections, it won’t matter so much if one day someone makes a new dent in it, or if for whatever reason something happens to it.
          I can live with that.
          Not so much with a “presumably perfect” car 😉

          As a matter of fact, I started to like little bumps and bruises, they make my car more “mine”, more personal.
          Of course as long as these “bumps and bruises” don’t affect its reliability!!!

          In that specific case, I become restless and do anything I can to fix the problem, to get back my “reliable P.O.S” as you christened it 🙂

          I sometimes think, that I really like used cars because I am in nature a technician, and the thing that makes my heart beat is fixing things, making them better and working again.
          Once you’ve taken something apart and fixed it , that thing becomes a lot more “yours”, as if you re-made it. 😉

          That’s my thoughts on this topic, hope to see some more coming through! :cheer:

          Live long and prosper (and stay dirty!)

          10nico

          #553254
          EricTheCarGuy 1EricTheCarGuy
          Keymaster

            [quote=”Ayeobe” post=77116]My car is 25 years old, and i only wish i had bought it when it was 18, i would have had a few more years of good times. As it stands, it needs oil seals, shocks, transmission shifter cable, and tires. When i got it, though, it didnt need anything at all.
            I’m in an odd place between “Reliable POS” and just.. that old car i treat like it’s a new car lol.. but right now, each panel has it’s defect, so i guess im past the “new car” phase, where (when i bought it) it still had some perfect panels.. But, i’ve noticed, my first car had only ONE perfect panel, and it got hit 3 times on that fender alone… so, obviously, this car got a nasty scratch and a small ding on it’s perfect door… Funny how that works.

            anyway, here it is:

            I love this pic! My second car was a 79 Accord. Not in nearly as good a shape as yours. Loved that car.

            #553255
            EricTheCarGuy 1EricTheCarGuy
            Keymaster

              I love the pictures and your stories. Keep posting them.

              #553283
              Andrea Orsini-BoyerAndrea Orsini-Boyer
              Participant

                Thank you! A friend of mine took it. I plan on getting another rolling shot when my car’s all done.. They are very lovable cars huh? Mines Fuel Inected and all, and i even still have the owners manual, warantee guide/matenence guide, and those cards they had with the purple ribbons to show how the Auto and Cruise work.. so, prety much still new 😛

                I also tend to respect people who have “reliable POS’s” more than new cars.. people with new cars tend to buy new so they dont have to deal with repairs and such.. People with old used cars, **who take care of them**, have my respect.

                BTW Eric, pics of the 1g Accord?

                #553300
                EricTheCarGuy 1EricTheCarGuy
                Keymaster

                  I wish I did have a pic of that car. I ended up painting smily faces on the hood, roof, and doors. I used to deliver balloon decorations in it. The kids go it, grown ups didn’t. Good times.

                  #556474
                  jonjon
                  Participant

                    here is my reliable pos 78 subaru 4×4 wagon pulled it out of a field for 200 bucks done a lot of work since then like go threw the fuel system rebuilt the engine tie rods ball joints axles brakes new ignition system and tires it gets 25-30 mpg with the 4×4 i can go anywhere perfect for the central oregon winters and the topper is i have about 1500 into it as it sits and nada lists it at 3500ish it needs a new carb as no rebuild will fix the bad design of the stock hitachi carb and a 5 speed would be nice but it does its job and does it well and it allows me to park my project over the winter
                    [URL=http://s70.photobucket.com/user/bonvo/media/cars/IMAG1025_zpscd0d98d1.jpg.html][IMG]http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i100/bonvo/cars/IMAG1025_zpscd0d98d1.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
                    [URL=http://s70.photobucket.com/user/bonvo/media/cars/IMAG1021_zpsbaf05452.jpg.html][IMG]http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i100/bonvo/cars/IMAG1021_zpsbaf05452.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
                    [URL=http://s70.photobucket.com/user/bonvo/media/cars/IMAG0862_zpse8edbae9.jpg.html][IMG]http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i100/bonvo/cars/IMAG0862_zpse8edbae9.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

                    engine in the middle of the rebuild
                    [URL=http://s70.photobucket.com/user/bonvo/media/cars/IMAG0820_zpsb78c4941.jpg.html][IMG]http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i100/bonvo/cars/IMAG0820_zpsb78c4941.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

                    #556836
                    SteveSteve
                    Participant

                      I purchased my old POS 97 RAM 1500 in 2009 for 3k. Originally bought it only for towing and hauling since my daily driver was a 2000 Acura TL. Well, after my TL gave me constant issues (trans, engine mounts, etc) I finally traded it in on my wife’s new car. At that point the RAM became my daily driver. I’ve put over 40k on it since I bought it (over 200k on it now) and no major issues of any kind. I’ve done the usual maintenance items on it (trans fluid/filter, tires, ujoints) but nothing major. Just keeps on running. Of course it’s rusted out and not much to look at it but my only major cost is gas since the insurance and taxes are so low. There really is no better way to own a vehicle from a cost perspective than something you can buy cheap and maintenance yourself.

                      #557992
                      LeonLeon
                      Participant

                        Another fun aspect of having a POS is if it is your racecar, you will shock people, especially if you’re a really good driver and you kick their ass. :woohoo: Of course, people that don’t know that much about cars are the most shocked since they see something ugly and expect slow results.

                        #558804
                        RedactedRedacted
                        Participant

                          why is their a spare tire in the engine compartment O_O :silly:

                          #570176
                          AndrewAndrew
                          Participant

                            Love me a reliable POS. Some reasons I love them.

                            1) I can haul anything and I don’t care it if gets dirty (love hauling fire wood in the the trunk).
                            2) Everyone stays back because they are afraid that you might hit them.
                            3) I don’t have to worry about locking it (even if the locks did work, I still would not use them).
                            4) I never worry about it (When something happens, I think it is funny).
                            5) No payments (Hooray!)

                            The right POS can server you well. Even if you end up bolting new parts on each month. The right model, and you are talking about a few dollars here and there.

                            My POS
                            1994 Accord, cheap parts and just keeps running.

                            About two years ago, I broke down and bought her a new car. At the time, it seemed like a good idea. I had always driven 10 year old cars or older. But, she kept breaking down and on one occasion almost got into an accident because of it. I liked the idea of having a new car. But I hate to see new scratches and dents and the carpet get dirty. I prefer my old cars.

                            #589179
                            CraigCraig
                            Participant

                              Awesome video, Eric. I too own a reliable POS–a ’98 Subaru Legacy Outback. I also have an ’02 RSX that is my baby. I originally planned on buying a new car in about 2 years but then decided to pick up a winter beater and keep the RSX for a lot longer. The best part is not caring about that shopping cart or someone wanting to steal something. Plus, I’ve learned A LOT over the last few months, mostly thanks to your videos. Axles, wheel bearings, ball joints, head cover gaskets, and more. Toying with cars is now a hobby. Keep up the awesome work.

                              #589590
                              Rich BayerRich Bayer
                              Participant

                                [quote=”AnthonyB” post=76950]
                                But! I few weeks ago, after a year and a half of savings, research, and working, I traded that POS in for my lovely 2004 GT :silly: . 1999-2004 is my favorite body style for mustangs so to get the last year, 40th anniversary, all the bells and whistles, and a well maintained car is just amazing to me. Yeah it’s not a brand new 2014 and it has 97,000 miles but to me this is my brand new car, the one I stare at when I walk away and park near security cameras when I go out somewhere haha.

                                Thanks for the videos Eric! :cheer:
                                [/attachment][/quote]
                                Buddy at my last job actually inherited a Mach1.. 0_o !! 4 valve.. yeah… Nice car! I do have a soft spot for the FoxBodies for some reason..

                                Any I’m driving a 2008 R32 now… I really miss a Reliable POS. I’m looking to get out of the R32 before I go completely nuts from all the little dings and my madness from TRYING to keep it mint… I’m looking into a Jeep.. lol That’d be my POS. I had a 95 F150 that i drove across the country twice.. What a reliable truch that was and it was such a liberating feeling to not have to care abotu the paint or the wheels.. or the carpet.. It was a basecoat, no CC… Cloth interior… 114k and I think I put maybe 50k on it. Only thing it ever needed was a pickup coil and a fuel pump.. that was it. Such a great truck and he always seemed like it was happy to take me where I wanted to go. 🙁 I miss it..

                                But anyway.. here’s the Limited edition #1511/5000, AWD, 3.2L VR6, DSG Trans, brakes that will pull your face off, Pilot Super Sport tires, Deep Blue Pearl R32 I’m daily driving now.. There’s more leather inside this car than plastic.. :blink: Heated Seats, Navi.. you name it… and I’m going crazy trying to keep it clean. I’ve never had anything that handled this good tho. It’s so ridiculous. And these PSS tires are just stupid in the dry and rain. I can’t get them to brake loose.

                                #597807
                                Lee AnnLee Ann
                                Moderator

                                  My reliable POS’s have been Saturns, which I have owned for the last 10+ years.

                                  Bought my white ’01 SC2 in ’02 (or maybe it was ’03). It was an extremely reliable over it’s lifetime. If I remember correctly, it only left me stranded twice in 9 or 10 years of my ownership; once due to fuel pump failure and finally due to timing chain failure.

                                  Bought an ’02 LW 300 in 2012. I had it a year (but it was 10 years old at the time) and the ECM malfunctioned and left me stranded. After that repair, it has always started.

                                  Bought a ’97 SC2 in 2013 which is my current project car. It has never left me stranded, per se. Recently, I was replacing the fuel filter and had accidentally kinked the fuel line. I couldn’t repair it immediately so it sat for about a week. In my mind, that doesn’t count as being stranded 🙂 because I had a spare vehicle.

                                  It has been my experience that Saturns make excellent POS’s. Mine have always started and I am guessing that is due, at least in part, to the ignition design (DIS by GM).

                                  #597851
                                  Lorrin BarthLorrin Barth
                                  Participant

                                    My best POS story comes from my cousin. His daily driver had formally been a New York City Taxi. It had chain welded to the radiator cap and other items under the hood so that they couldn’t be stolen.

                                    One day as we were tinkering on this thing, in conversation a mathematical question arose. He performed the calculation using a screwdriver in the paint on the hood.

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